Shigeru Nishikawa 

(B.1977, Gifu prefecture, Japan)

Shigeru Nishikawa was born and raised in the Kansai region of south-western Japan surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, mountains, rivers and the ocean. This proximity to nature inspired him to want to work in the environmental sector, leading him to pursue a degree in civil and environmental engineering. Unfortunately, the realities of what he was studying went completely against his expectations – instead of working with and for nature, he was learning how to exploit and destroy nature for convenience. Realising this, Nishikawa suspended his studies and enrolled in art college, hoping to express his own conceptions of how humans and nature should interact through his artwork.

Nishikawa’s series “Under Construction or Destruction”, which he began producing in 2015, confronts the continual development of urban landscapes, with particular focus on Hong Kong and Tokyo. Nishikawa’s abstract paintings combine lyrical brushwork in stark contrast to buildings covered by protective sheeting. It is unclear as to whether the building which is hidden from view is in the process of being constructed or de-constructed. Indeed, the ambiguity which belies the background is made up of multiple intricate layers which generate a depth and stillness. Out of this juxtaposition arises a confrontation and an invitation to the viewer to engage with their surroundings in a new way.